Business executive expresses zest for students with donation

Frank Raymond has been a fan of Texas A&M University — and Mays Business School in particular — since Craig Brown ’75, his co-founder of Bray International, invited him several years ago to attend scholarship events Brown hosts. Brown has long been a supporter of Texas A&M and Mays, where he graduated and was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 2012.

Frank Raymond

Soon Raymond began exploring ways to connect with Mays on his own, funding scholarships and serving as a judge for the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship’s (CNVE) Ideas Challenge, in which students from across campus vie to pitch their proposals for products or services to a panel of judges. Raymond’s son, who shares his excitement about innovative ideas, typically joins him.

Now, Raymond and his wife Jean have created the Frank J. and Jean Raymond Foundation Ideas Challenge fund, committing to contributions of $50,000 per year for the next 20 years. These funds will support the Raymond Ideas Challenge and allow the CNVE to increase its impact on the entrepreneurial mindset of Texas A&M University students.

In addition to this gift, the Raymonds also provide scholarships for Mays students with an interest in entrepreneurship.

“Frank and Jean are true champions of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking at Mays,” said Mays Dean Jerry Strawser. “Their generous support of our students and encouragement to have our students develop “great ideas’ will have an impact on their lives for many years to come.”

“You always hope what you’re doing will help these outstanding young people to be better students and that it will ease their burdens a little bit,” Frank Raymond said.

Raymond says he hopes his gifts will have another benefit to Mays: “I’m hoping to attract others to building on what I’ve done.”

About Mays Business School

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School educates more than 5,000 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its undergraduate and MBA programs, and for faculty research. The mission of Mays Business School is creating knowledge and developing ethical leaders for a global society.